Where does “agent” come from?

Agent comes from Latin agens, the present participle of Latin ago meaning "to drive or do," derived from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- meaning "to drive."

agent (English): One who exerts power, or has the power to act;...

Definitions

  1. One who exerts power, or has the power to act;...

Ancestry of “agent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinagēnsdoing, acting, making
2Latinagōto act, to behave
3Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

Words derived from “agent”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti →Every word from Proto-Italic agō →